Homemade Granola Bars

(recipe from goop.com)

1 1/3 cups rolled oats, divided
a pinch each of salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger
1/4 cup flax seeds (I used hemp seeds)
1 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped (or any combination of roughly chopped dried fruit and/or nuts) (I used 1/2 cup apricots and 1/2 cup pecans)
1/4 cup canola oil (I used mashed banana)
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used agave syrup)
2 Tbsp. brown rice syrup

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 8" square baking pan with parchment paper, letting a bit of excess paper hang over the sides.

Grind 1/3 cup of the oats in a food processor until powdery.  Add them to a large mixing bowl with the remaining oats, salt & spices, flax seeds, and apricots.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir them into the dry ingredients.

Put the mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 1/2 hour, or until evenly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Remove to a cutting board (the parchment paper will act as a sort of sling, making this very easy).  Cut into individual granola bars.

(I am on a mission to find a recipe for really good breakfast bars.  This was tasty, though a bit dry, and didn't hold together so well in bar form.  Also, loads of sugar syrups and not much healthy substance.  The mission continues!)